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Spineless Tillis Avoids Special Session

Progress North Carolina today released the following statement regarding NC House Speaker Thom Tillis’ failure to attend today’s legislative special session:

“Plummeting approval ratings and protests against an ‘Out of Control’ legislature must be getting to Speaker Tillis, because he did not even bother to show up for today’s special session,” said Gerrick Brenner, Executive Director of Progress North Carolina. “Last session, he kicked out citizen demonstrators from the General Assembly. Then he spent the next two months refusing to meet with opponents. Today he decided to just stay home rather than face the people.”

Today was a culmination of a disastrous 2012 for NC House Republicans. Consider:

On January 5, Tillis ran an unethical and unconstitutional midnight session to strip teachers of their political voice. Tillis and the House Republicans were roundly criticized from all corners of the state.

Later, Tillis strangely blamed the media on his Facebook page for his public relations problems.

On February 16, Tillis had citizen demonstrators removed from the second floor of the General Assembly, while letting lobbyists roam free. His overreaction was again roundly criticized.

Later in February, Tillis is exposed for failing to disclose key information about his campaign donors – especially those with ties to the consumer loan industry. And again Tillis faces harsh criticism.

In March, a House Committee attempts to severely restrict access to NC Pre-K until Rep. George Cleveland opens his mouth and claims there’s no extreme poverty in North Carolina. The Speaker’s staff moves quickly to shut down the meeting.

Later in March, Speaker Tillis says publicly that he thinks Amendment One will be overturned within 20 years – setting off a round of head-scratching as to why North Carolina must deal with a divisive constitutional amendment that won’t even last two decades.

And today, after all that, Tillis must have decided it would be better to stay home, rather than attend another do-nothing session and public relations fiasco.